On the Horizon

In my last post, I described the two approaches I've been playing with to free up Finn's walk. I knew when I wrote that the first was one I picked up from reading Karen Rohlf's book, Dressage, Naturally. What I'd forgotten was that the second is basically the very next exercise in Karen's book. Lacking some details, but very similar in essence. I proceeded to read through the next two exercises building the conversation about energy and thought to myself, "That's exactly what we need to be doing!"

Which reminded me of a question that frequently bugs me: why do I so often KNOW what I should or could do to improve things, and yet NOT do it? I'd been glancing at this book on my kitchen table for weeks thinking I probably ought to review for insights on my budding frustration... but I didn't. Until after I wrote my last post, which motivated me to take action. And THAT is why I'm falling in love with this blogging thing.

In my last two rides, I have played with these two exercises with a few tweaks based on the info in Karen's book and the results have been noticeably improved. Further evidence that I have known "all along" what would help, and chosen not to do it...

I rode Journey in a clinic with Karen Rohlf in September 2011 and to be perfectly honest my number 1 takeaway from the weekend was this: I NEED TO DO WHAT I KNOW. So many of the things we covered in the clinic were exercises I was aware of and simulations of things I've been blessed to have horses offer me already. I am not a complete novice when it comes to dressage, and I've owned Karen's book for years... so why was there SO MUCH un-applied knowledge in my head?

That clinic was three years ago, and I'm still stuck on this same thing. Which is actually not as bad as it sounds, since the intervening three years involved leaving Journey behind and starting a whole new journey with Finn. But what I'd really like to avoid, now that Finn's feeling pretty ready to play with this "dressage stuff," is continuing to get in my own way.

So I'm contemplating making a commitment of sorts... setting a goal, some people might call this... to really and truly STUDY and DO the exercises in Dressage, Naturally. This book is hands-down the clearest, most-thorough, best-written how-to book on dressage (or just horses in general) I've ever read. I've thought so since the very first time I read it. So it's time to stop letting this incredible resource just sit on a shelf and go to waste.

I'm still working out details in my head about how I'd want to arrange this commitment. I'll want it to be concrete and measurable, so I have a clear path to achieving success. I'll want to take regular video of our work so I can monitor progress, and have a neat before and after contrast. I don't mean for this to become the ONLY thing we do... we'll still go on our trail rides and work on our footwork exercises and develop our jumping and various other things, but this will be a priority... probably on the order of at least two rides per week in an arena focusing on progressing the exercises?

I don't want to commit to the whole book, because some of the exercises towards the end are quite advanced. While I certainly want to get there, I don't want to have to get there before I can claim a victory. So I'm thinking an initial commitment of working at this with focus for six months, seeing where that gets us, claiming victory, then setting another, better-informed commitment for the next six months.

My hesitation of the time frame is mostly that the next six months takes us right into Winter. With the facility I have access to, I am at the mercy of the weather... BUT the weather in Nevada is usually pretty merciful, so I'm probably making a mountain out of a molehill there.

Anyway, that's what I'm thinking. If I go ahead with this (I predict I will) it will definitely offer an interesting structure to the evolution of this blog. It should also move Finn and I significantly forward in the direction I've always had in mind for us, so it is definitely a win-all-around. I will be so eager to see how much progress we can make if I can truly be an excellent leader, using my focus to the very best of my abilities.

I have about another week before the start of a new month, a neat, orderly time to embark on a new commitment. So stay tuned for an "announcement" any day now...